I’ve met more than a few writers who have full-time employment but have managed to arrange things so they get to work at home. I’m particularly interested in this approach: given a choice, would you rather have a full-time job or would you rather freelance, assuming that either way you got to work at home?

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this post sharing which you would rather — and why — before the end of the day Friday. I’ll randomly select a winner on Saturday. I will pay shipping within the U.S. — if you win and live outside the U.S., I’ll ask you to cover the difference.

11 Comments

“given a choice, would you rather have a full-time job or would you rather freelance, assuming that either way you got to work at home?”
For me, a full-time job at home rather than freelance would fit my personality better. I don’t mind being given deadlines or having reports ready by a certain day or time. I know what my goals and deadlines are because someone has told me and I may have some additional input as part of a team or department from home. Freelancing would require me to push myself more to achieve and make my own goals and deadlines which I am not very good at. Working at home, either way, would be a great big plus.

I think I am between the two. I love working at home and would dread giving it up. Although at times, being freelance can be a bit hairy (to say the least). My ideal situation is working at home on a freelance or contractor basis, but with long-term clients/contracts.

If either way I would work from home, I would absolutely take the full time job because that means I can freelance AND have a full time job.
I love freelancing because it really gives you a variety and keeps it interesting (plus, can’t beat the money) but I prefer the lazy style of doing it – jobs that fall or crawl into my lap. I think this is the best win win arrangement – no hitting the pavement with all the benefits!

Freelancing fits my personality to a tee. I like the flexibility – I can wake up earlier to get a good amount of writing accomplished if I have something to do during the day and then finish it up later in the evening if I like. All that matters is that I meet my deadline and give my clients exactly what they expect.

I don’t mind working alone, and having flexible hours works well around my family’s schedule. There’s a lot of work involved in drumming up a steady flow of clients, juggling projects, handling admin tasks, etc. but when you start seeing things fall into place, it’s so worth it.

I do freelance, and I enjoy it. However, if I had the opportunity to take another job, and still be able to work from home I’d probably take it. Mostly for the insurance benefit that come from working for someone else. As a member of their staff I’d be eligible for their group health insurance. But, since I don’t see that happening, I’ll keep doing what I’m doing, because I really do like it. I love being able to drop everything if one of my grandkids needs me, or my sister calls and says, “can you…”, or a friend calls and needs help with something. Even working for someone else from home, I’d be able to do these things, as long as I was able to do the ‘job’ also.

I think the danger of working a full-time job from home is that your ties might not as close to the office, making you a more viable candidate when cuts are discussed because, hey, you’re not there anyway! That said, I think the potential benefits, not only of outside support but of ACTUAL benefits, such as health, make working a full-time job from home the winning choice of the two, for me. As Amy said, if you’re working from home there’s nothing keeping you from freelancing at home, too.

I have a full-time job with great benefits. Working with college scholarships and financial aid, I love what I do and I am never bored. MOST of my work could be done from home. I’d better utilize my ‘8-hour’ day and manage the workload more efficiently from home, while still maintaining the working relationship I have with students and colleagues. If given the option, I’d work from home-hands down. Right now, I must get in the shower and head to the office!

In an up economy, I’d rather freelance. In a down economy, when finding work takes up far more time in proportion and for less money, I’d rather be employed and work from home. Right now, I’m almost doing a bit of both. I have a few months’ worth of bread-and-butter half-time contract, and I’m scrapping around to fill in the rest.

The working-for-someone-else has gotten more attractive since my fiance has come down with some serious health issues. The amount I’d suddenly have to earn to maintain our household (him, me, my 88-year-old mom and 16-year-old son) is more than I can probably maintain if I have to pound pavement and carve out time to write.